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Ingrid Michaelson — ‘Songs for the Season’

It seems I’m not alone. In the ever-growing stack of CDs on my desk, waiting to be reviewed, one jumped out at me that confirmed I wasn’t crazy for loving Christmas music year ’round. Ingrid Michaelson just might be a kindred Yuletide spirit. A few of her recent thoughts on Christmas music:

“I start listening to Christmas music in September. I have almost all of my presents not only bought, but wrapped and hidden in the closet. People do get annoyed—they’re like, ‘It’s not even Halloween.’ Screw them, I can do what I want. I grew up in this big, old Victorian house, and we would have this awesome Christmas Eve party every year and the whole neighborhood would come. My father wrote Christmas carols. We’re not even religious—it was more just the joy of the season would overcome me.”

“I want this record to be in someone’s arsenal. My go-to is the Charlie Brown Christmas record—I put it on while I’m cooking, just doing anything. That’s what I want—to be in somebody’s Top 5. I’m not interested in creating a pop record—I wanted to do something that isn’t gonna go sour in 30 years.”

“My favorite is ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’ This is very Ingrid Michaelson, because I love songs that are happy and sad at the same time. ‘Through the years we all will be together if the Fates allow’—you know the Fates aren’t gonna allow it. I sang that song through my mpother’s sickness, through her getting better, through her dying. I sang it through my dad’s sickness, through my dad dying. We know we’re gonna lose people, that life is gonna change, but we’re still gonna persevere. We’re still going to enjoy this moment.”

This an album that becomes an instant classic. Prepare to pull it out and put it on the turntable for years to come. If you always fantasized about a group of carolers showing up on your snowy doorstep, but never got to experience that, then play Ingrid Michaelson’s rendition of “Let It Snow.” It’s got as much homey warmth as a vintage porcelain Christmas Village display on your grandparent’s mantle.